Tristanian War of Independence
The Tristanian War of Independence was a war in the nation of Tristania from 404 DR to 430 DR, between the Dorian holders of the province, pro-independence but royalist Tristanians, and the republican Farelian faction. The war was infamous for its violence and its extreme length. This war is sometimes called the Farelian War, but that term is controversial among some groups, most notably the Dorian government. Breakout of war Although Tristania had been a well-respected region in the Dorian Empire, the revolutionary fervor sparked by Valatsa nevertheless reached it, and in the summer of 404, a group of Tristanian nobles from across the nation declared Tristania's independence from the empire. Since the nation of Leguna, which was by now independent, stood between Dorio proper and Tristania, Dorio had difficulty bringing soldiers to Tristania in the early months and years of the war. This difficulty was exacerbated when Leopold Otrolius, the reigning Lord Reverend, publicly put his support and the Monastery of Arms in favor of the Tristanian faction. Tristania made a number of victories in the first years of the war; the Battle of Berit Plain, for instance, was pivotal in securing supply centers for the rebels. However, many of the Dorian commanders were especially adamant, since they wanted to prevent the humiliations of the previous independence wars from being repeated. The birth of Farelia In the spring of 408, tensions between the Tristanian leaders came to a head; one group (principally led by Cornelius Derin) wanted to instate a new Tristanian monarchy, while another (mostly led by Aurelius Ravelin) hoped to turn the state into a republic. This eventually caused the formal division of Tristania and Farelia on 29 Granhumes 408, and the two sides quickly devolved into bloody combat. The south and east, which were the most pro-republic sections of Tristania, saw the worst of the conflict during this time, as baronists often stormed the streets arresting or murdering those accused of pro-republic or, worse, pro-Dorian sympathies. Compounding this fear was the Dorian rejuvenation which took place during this period; with Tristania dissolved in infighting, Dorian leaders managed to recapture a number of lost sites, including the historic city of Caniria. By 414, Dorian forces occupied most of the west half of Tristania, and it seemed likely that the rebellious nation would backslide into imperial control. Shifts in leadership In 415, Dorio's King Evan II died and was succeeded by Edric IV. Edric, an enthusiastic (if merely adequate) commander, supported an increased Dorian offensive, but he tended to be reckless and made a few blunders that allowed the pro-independence factions to pick up speed. Edric also saw an increase in coordination and espionage among the Farelians; this included the Twin Riot in the autumn of 417, during which the Dorian stronghold of Caniria and the republican hotbed of Petronalia saw simultaneous pro-Farelian riots sweep through them. Baronist Tristania, which had been putting up a respectable effort in its eastern heartland, saw itself lose a major ally in 419, when Leopold Otrolius died; he was succeeded by the pro-republican Tristan Brenn, and so the baronists lost the support of the Monastery of Arms. However, in the immediately ensuing years, monetary problems reduced the scale of the wars, as all three factions were forced to dial back their spending. Final years By 422, the republican Farelian coalition was picking up speed, and was able to gradually expand its sphere of influence throughout Tristania. The southernmost part of modern-day Farelia went under, essentially, full republican control, and there was also expansion farther north and east. In the winter of 424, Edric IV of Dorio made an armistice with Cornelius Derin in order to stop the Farelian juggernaut, but the alliance dissolved during the following year, as many of Derin's compatriots refused to honor the agreement. In 427, an uprising in Bicana forced Dorio to drop entirely out of the conflict (via the Garavactus Accord), and so it became a clash of the two Tristanian powers. The power vacuum in the pro-Dorian northwest region meant that the fighting escalated in that area; the east was firmly baronist, while the south was decidedly republican. However, republican sentiment and forces managed to secure eastern toeholds through the coastal region of Tristania, and so the baronists found themselves gradually losing ground. In 430, the baronists were effectively cornered in Alandis, where they surrendered. That autumn, the Treaty of Leopnia was ratified, and the Republic of Farelia was formally created. Quotes "When I started this war, I was young and idealistic. So was Aurelius Ravelin, and so were a lot of the men, I'm sure. But now we're old. Now we're bitter. Now we're jaded. And none of us wants to be the first to say 'let's stop fighting,' and so we're still killing each other. To me, that's the saddest thing of all." –Cornelius Derin, 423 Category:Wars Category:Rebellions